Cakewalk HS2, Yamaha S03, is this gonna work?

[Nate74]

I've dismantled my old studio setup and will be moving into a new house where I will have a room all to myself for my studio. Escrow doesn't close for another 4 weeks so all I have to do now is dream about it and ask all my silly questions. : )

I've been using Cakewalk Home Studio 2.0XL for a few months and have been writing midi piano parts and mixing them in with some previously recorded tracks my band did on my HD24XR. The piano sound isn't horrible, but certainly not as convincing as the sounds on my Yamaha S03. I bought a midi cable that connects to my PC, but as of yet haven't tried hooking it up (it's mostly all in storage until my move).

When I do it, will the sounds be generated on my keyboard or on my PC?

If I record the midi track to an audio track on my PC, will it use the sounds from the keyboard?

Since I can't really play piano very well, do I even need the Yamaha or could I substitute a sound module?

Which sound module has a variety of usable traditional sounds (Pianos, Rhodes, B3, horns, strings, etc.)?

Man I wish escrow would close soon, I'm itching to get started!

Thanks
Nate

 

[ssscientist]

Since I can't really play piano very well, do I even need the Yamaha or could I substitute a sound module?

I was with you up until this very point. It sounds like you're a still a bit of a young'n where midi is concerned.

Here are some articles you would do well to while away your pre-new castle hours reading --- they're well written and may be a little to basic for you, but stick with them anyway.

Here's a link to part one and part two.

 

[ssscientist]

Oh yeah --- Cakewalk and an S03 should make a very good team. They're well matched and you can expect some VERY professional-sounding results once you get them talking to each other.

 

[Nate74]

Awesome! Thank you. And yes, still a newbie with the MIDI stuff. I'll check out the articles today at lunch.
Thanks again!